Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Baguio For Kids: What To Do + Where To Go

Because of its cold climate, Baguio is always one of the Filipinos favorite local destination for a quick getaway. Baguio City may not be what it used to but the City of Pines is definitely back on the tourist map, especially with the SCTEX and TPLEX making Baguio just a few short hours away.

Below is a list of activities that your kids can do in Baguio:



1. Mt. Cloud Bookshop


My kids are all readers, so it's but natural that the first thing we'd do in Baguio is to drop by a bookstore. What we love about Mt. Cloud is that most of the books on the shelves are not wrapped in plastic, so the kids can leaf through the book, and even read a few pages to decide if the book is interesting enough to be purchased.


This shows that the owners are all for cultivating readers, and they do not mind for their visitors to linger around and read as much as they like before they purchase.


Although the place is really small, but it is arranged in such a way that there are numerous pockets of tiny spaces that encourage readers of all ages to get a book and read.


There's even a section dedicated to culinary books. Love!


The library ladder is a quaint addition that adds to its lovely charm.


They don't just sell books, they also have an assortment of knick-knacks which caught the eye of my teenager.



2. Strawberry Picking at Trinidad Valley

Though not technically in Baguio, Trinidad Valley is closely associated with Baguio. It’s just about half hour away from the city but it’s better to get there very early. This way, you avoid the traffic congestion and you get dibs on the biggest strawberries.


It's unplanned, but these girls were delighted that they were all in stripes that day.   

Another case of unplanned matching outfits... in pink denim naman this two!


 You can buy fresh strawberries for as cheap as P250 per kilo.


You can also pick the berries yourself, have them weighed, wash them and eat them. Other fruits and vegetables are unbelievably cheap and fresh, too.


Picking strawberries is slightly more expensive than just buying a prepared basket, but you pay for the fun expereince as your kids gingerly make their way from patch to patch cutting off the strawberries of their own picking.



3. Enjoy Strawberry Taho + Strawberry Ice Cream 

While in La Trinidad, try this unique strawberry taho. Taho is made from soy, syrup and tapioca balls. But in this case, it is sweetened by strawberry syrup and whole strawberry preserves.


On the way to the strawberry patch, there were also a lot of vendors selling strawberry ice cream that the kids had to stop to get some, too.




4.  Walk + Run + Jog

Even with the onslaught of commercialism, Baguio still has a lot of spots to enjoy the natural beauty. If you are staying in any of the hotels in Camp John Hay, it's so easy to go on a hike the first thing upon waking up. While commercialism has already invaded the camp over the years, it has still managed to retain its rustic vibe in some areas.

The kids had a wonderful time running under giant pine trees that are scattered throughout the area. 



5. Go horseback-riding

Going on a horseback riding is still a popular activity for my kids.  The riding trail at the Shalan di Kabadjo (beside Le Monet Hotel in Camp John Hay) is a perfect trail for older kids. It is a short trail that can be done in a hour's time and is surrounded by pine trees. My kids found the scenery picturesque and the ride itself relaxing.

Although Wright Park is still the top choice for most, my kids prefer the scenic route and relaxing atmsophere of Shalan di Kabadjo better.



6. Tree Top Adventure 

The Tree Top Adventure (beside Bell House in Camp John Hay) is for the adrenalin junkies. Its main attractions are the Superman (a 200-meter long, 150-foot-high zip line), the Tree Drop ( 60-foot free fall), and the Silver Surfer ( a 70-meter long zip line)

But it also has "tame attractions" for people like me who are just content to enjoy the scenery by taking a canopy ride. The canopy ride took me to eight stations around this adventure park where I saw all of the other attractions in action.

I just relaxed on my seat as I went around enjoying the view from several feet above the gound. The canopy ride also includes a trek through a short trail midst fragrant pine trees, which includes navigating the “skywalk” with an view of the unspoiled area of Baguio’s highlands.


Sorry no photos on this part of the trip as they asked all our belongings to be kept for safekeeping the entire time we were inside Tree Top. But I did saw some people with DSLRs and phonecams. Boo for being so rule abiding. hehe!



7. Go on a Food Trip

What's a trip to Baguio without going on a food trip? Read this post to find out where we ate during our latest Baguio trip.

 Chaya Japanese Restaurant is one of the restaurants that we highly recommend.



8. Take beautiful family photos 

Baguio is so picturesque that it's almost impossible to take less than beautiful photos.  Photogenic spots abound. Don't you agree?




If you need some tips on how to make a DIY Family Portrait session work, 
read the phenomenal tips I share here.

Hope you find what I shared useful for when you are planning your own Baguio trip.  There are a lot of long weekend scheduled this 2015, why don't you start planning for your own trip na!


To know more about Mt. Cloud Bookshop:

To know more about Tree Top Adventure:



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